Chapter 1
by dmbrennan94
Summary: Stabler and Olivia help solve a twenty-five year old murder.
1. Chapter 1

Someone is knocking on the door. A young girl emerges from around the corner. She walks quickly but steadily-with a purpose. As she reaches to unlock the door, her other hand moves her strawberry blonde hair from her eyes. The door creaks open to reveal a man holding a six pack of beer with one finger and a brown sack with the other hand. The wrinkles on his forehead are evident, even through his wavy blonde hair.

She can feel him looking her up and down, comparing her to the photographs he's seen online, and seeing if she matches up.

"Where are your parents, sweetheart?" he questions as he slyly locks the door behind them.

"Out."

"You probably get lonely."

"I guess."

He sets the bag and beer down on the coffee table. "Come sit here with me," he says softly as he takes a seat on the couch. "We'll watch TV. We'll get to know each other."

At this she swallows hard. "I don't think..." So many worried thoughts start going through her head as he interrupts her, noticing her concern. 

"Shhhh…We will go as slow as you want baby doll. Just like we talked about."

He places his hand on her face and over her lips. Her forehead begins to crinkle and she feels her hair on her arms stand up on end as goose bumps appear. He begins to notice how her eyes show a hint of fear when suddenly there is a clicking behind the couch.

The man stands up abruptly to see a woman in heels emerge from the other room. Her groomed dark hair and dark suit suggest to him that she is successful and confident of herself. What really catches his eye however is the black man standing next to her. More specifically, the camera in his hands.

"Where did you come from?" He cries. Then after a moment's thought, "Hey I know you!"

The girl gets up rapidly and quickly walks away to another room completely. Her nerves are shot. He was so close to her, touching her lips, and suggesting things that she would never dream of doing.

The woman declares herself as "Alicia Harding-host of neighborhood predator."

At this, his heart hits the floor as questions and possibilities dash through his mind. He finally is able to stutter out "This is not what it looks like."

She sashays over; her coolness intimidates him farther.

"Then what are you doing here Mr. Carleton?" She questions him even further. "You're a father, a husband, and a school teacher. Can you explain the emails and child porn you sent to a minor?"

At this, his heart beats even quicker than before. He becomes apprehensive. How much trouble is he in? How much does this Alicia bitch know?

Meanwhile, Olivia, Finn, and ADA Paxton are hovering in an undercover van outside. They are observing what is happening from a monitor showing four different views of the inside of the apartment.

"Get ready to move in" Olivia directs calmly into her walkie-talkie. She knows that everything is under control. They have this bastard.

"That didn't happen. This is a set up." He mutters, grasping for any excuse.

Alicia turns the bag upside down. Four condoms and a can of lube fall onto the coffee table next to the beer. She knows at least he can't deny that he brought these in.

"Oh, how is it a set up sir? You brought the beer, the condoms and the lube."

He knows she has him. He makes a run for it around the coffee table, but she intercepts him.

"No no no no no see we have you on tape. The room is wired with cameras."

His eyes darken with fear and panic. He turns and runs farther into the apartment.

Olivia sees his dash and shouts "Go go go" into her walkie-talkie. Cops waiting outside break down the door.

Alicia has a different idea. She's not letting this bastard get away. She whips out a taser and relentlessly uses it on him. Even once he has fallen to the floor with convulsions she continues until she has had her fill. Man she hates these assholes. And the power she feels by taking them down is addicting.

Back in the camera room, Fin is indignant. "Amateur," he mutters, obviously annoyed at the extreme treatment. He hates these men as much as the next person, but the fact that this haughty woman is doing his job irritates him.

As Benson, Alicia, and Paxton celebrate another take down, Olivia tries to secrete her obvious aversion to this woman. She knows Fin agrees. Cops don't like civilians doing their jobs. Meanwhile, Alicia smirks. She knows she does a hell of a good job and doesn't care what any resentful cops could think.

A young Asian boy walks in. He has a refined look to him; wearing leather gloves and a scarf, he hands a brown package to Alicia. "An officer asked me to deliver this to you Ms. Harding."

"Thank you," then directing her attention back to Olivia affirms, "I'm used to cops attitudes so don't waste your breathe."

As she walks away proudly, Olivia scorns her remark, but then quickly hides it when Alicia turns back around with a look of terror in her eyes. She holds up her hand, which is covered in a red liquid. Olivia doesn't even take time to get pleasure from her immediately changed attitude. It's obvious that she hasn't dealt with blood much. She takes these thoughts at of her head and replaces them with speculations about what is happening. She quickly puts gloves on and takes the box from Alicia. Upon opening it, she pulls out a bloody clothe.

"That's my lucky scarf," Alicia murmurs, trying to hide the fear in her voice and face. 

"When did you see it last?" Olivia questions.

"This morning. On my bed." Alicia can't help but show the distress she feels.

Olivia steadily makes the assertion, "You have a stalker."

Later on at the precinct, Olivia questions a reluctant Alisha.

"I'm on TV; I get tons of emails all the time. A few saying 'I'm watching you', hardly counts as a threat. I can take care of myself. I will just double my security, but I'm not going to stop going after scumbags," he obstinately expresses.

Paxton turns to her with concern, "You should have told me someone was after you Alicia. You've had more than one threatening emails and then he breaks into your home! Who could have done this?"

"It could be any of hundred guys I've bagged for preying on children. Or their families. Hell even a couple of politicians hate my guts."

Olivia doesn't even have to think before she questions, "Okay what about your personal life?"

"I don't have one. If I'm not doing the show I'm working on Vanessa's case."

Olivia looks at Paxton for some clarity.

"Vanessa is her sister. She disappeared twenty-five years ago. It was my case and it is still open. All they found were her bloody clothes with some knife slits in them."

"That's why I go after predators," Alisha discloses.

At this Olivia feels a sense of remorse. Maybe the confidence and arrogance are for show. What else is there to this woman's life?

After further questioning, which doesn't go anywhere, Olivia meets up with Fin who informs her that the lab is still working on the scarf.

Suddenly Elliot appears. Olivia feels her hand go up to her hair, instinctively making sure everything is in place.

"How were things while I was in Quantico? I know Fin's good, but he is definitely not me," Elliot asks Olivia.

"No I'm better. I watched her back, not just her backside," Fin jokes back.

Olivia tries not to blush. Normally she is used to this banter, but with Elliot just getting back into town her emotions are harder to control. She doesn't quite know what is going on between her and her partner. Everyone else seems to think there is sexual tension. But they had never so much as kissed before. That isn't saying that she doesn't think about it happening.

On the way to Alicia's apartment, Olivia sets her emotions aside and fills Elliot in on the case. He admits that he has already been working on a threat assessment based off of the emails and that it will be complete once they search the apartment.

After thoroughly scouring the place, they come with almost nothing. There aren't any cameras, any prints, or signs of forced entry. They were starting to give up, until they checked the last room.

"Hey Liv! Check this out," Elliot calls. "It's like her sister disappeared yesterday instead of twenty-five years ago."

Olivia begins looking through everything on the clustered desk. "This is like a shrine to the kidnapping. How did she get her hand on lab reports and crime scene photos?"

She glances and Elliot and immediately knows that they are thinking the same thing. It must have been Sonya Paxton, considering it is her case, and how close she is to Harding.

On the way back to the precinct, Elliot discusses what he believes to be true about the perp.

"This is the worst kind of stalker. He's smart, resourceful, experienced. I think he is in the system, which is why the place was so clean of any prints. Alicia hunts down predators, although she has never met one. He gets off on scaring her. The problem is that he is hard core and won't get much of a challenge stalking her. He's going to show up soon. Just make sure it isn't you."

At this he turns and runs his eyes across Olivia's face. His eyes show a tenderness she only sees on him when he looks at his daughter and or at her. She wonders if that means he has feelings for her. Or is it that he just wants her safe? Elliot meanwhile realizes what he is doing and quickly looks back at the road. He's been doing that a lot. He catches himself checking her out and if he isn't careful she's going to catch him doing it. He doesn't know where he wants to go with her, but he can feel something is there.


	2. Chapter 2

Once at the precinct Donald immediately tells Olivia and Elliot that Alicia came in with another email; this one with an attached photograph of a woman.

"It looked authentic so we had processed. Come look."

"The photo is of a dumped white female, dead leaves, and a broken down swing. Not much to go on. The pixels line up; the body is real. But without any landmarks there is no way to know where it is located." Fin relays as Alicia walks up.

"Should we be talking about this in front of a civilian?" Elliot hides a sneer. "Our perp is a sociopath and she deals with teachers diddleing their students."

Alicia responds quickly, and smugly. "Does knowing the location earn me a seat at the table?"

"How could you know?"

"I interviewed a woman who said that she saw Vanessa at this park."

An argument ensues in which Fin ends up walking away and even Sonya and Alicia get at each other's throats. Finally John steps in,"Where's the park?"

"I'm not telling you unless I go to." Alicia remarks stubbornly.

"Not going to happen," he replies just as quickly and firmly.

"Either you follow me there or I ride with you. Those are my terms."

Once at the park, Fin gets out and turns to Alicia.

"You stay right there, or I'll handcuff you to the door." Fin turns abruptly and huffs away.

Olivia approaches her next and Alicia tries to defend herself. "Hey I didn't ask for this. The guy sent me an email. He wants me to see whatever he's done."

"He wants you to make him famous without getting caught."

"The guy killed my sister. I know it's the same man," she insists.

"Hand me your damn phone and get back in the car."

Olivia begins searching and can't help but wonder if Alicia's right. The connection the park could just be a coincidence, but is it? The stalker is obsessed with her, and she doesn't fit the MO for the child abductor and killer.

She begins comparing the photograph from the email on Alicia's phone to the area. Finally she finds her lying placed just like the photo shows.

"Found her! Call Warner."

The poor girl is mostly hidden by snow, but her soft innocent face and cascading blonde hair are still free. Olivia goes off in her own world. You never get used to finding bodies.

Elliot sees something under a bush. He grabs a stick and after gently digging lifts up a decomposing arm covered in snow.

"Found another one!" He shouts.

Finn calls from the left, "Body number three. We're going to need a forensic team and cadaver dogs."

In the car, Alicia gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. How many bodies are there?

Elliotand Finn go down to see Warner.

"Six white females. Average age: late teens to early twenties and all in varying stages of decomp. Five I'm ruling homicides but I will need to unflesh their bones to determine the cause of death. This Jane Doe died only three days ago by three stab wounds, each six inches deep."

Paxton cuts in with a look of knowing in her eyes. "Let me guess: stomach, chest, and back?"

"How'd you know?"

"I saw Vanessa's clothes. Same pattern."

Olivia jumps in, "Son of a bitch is a copycat."

"Or the same guy," claims Paxton, taking Alicia's side.

"I wouldn't know unless I had her body," says Warner, "The first was a primordial stab to the vertebrae which paralyzed her from the chest down."

"Was she raped?" Olivia questions, expecting the worst.

"Repeatedly, but no fluids. Next came the left lung."

"So she'd stop screaming. Then when he had what he wanted he finishes her off with a knife cut to the cut." She shakes her head in utter disdain.

She turns to leave, but Warner grabs her arm. "The blows were precise. This guy knows what he was doing."

"So he has forensic, police, and medical knowledge. He's been at it for awhile." Olivia shakes her head.

Olivia and Elliot go to look at a possible lead that Paxton gives them. While there, they are told that Alicia filmed a segment for her show.

"I know you're watching. You are nothing but a sexual deviant suffering from an erectile dysfunction so severe that you have to rape with a knife. You are pathetic. State prosecutor Sonya Paxton thinks you should be prosecuted and put away for life. I say you're not worth and you should be put down like the rabid dog you are." Calmly, slowly, and passionately Alicia delivers her message as well as knowledge about the case and footage from the search for the bodies.

"We can't let her air this! She's setting herself up as bait." Olivia exclaims.

Elliot crossly points out, "Dumb ass belongs in jail. She just leaked six open homicides."

"Hopefully Cragen can get the network to hold it before it airs."

As Elliot follows Olivia to talk to Cragen, he can't help but notice how good her ass looks in her jeans. He catches himself before he asks her if they're new. He's shook from his thoughts when Cragen informs them it's too late and it went national.

"Wanna explain how she got footage of the crime scene?"

"Caption, I took her cell phone, didn't give her a cavity search."

"She didn't take Paxton's. Sonya's just as fixated on catching this guy as Alicia is." Elliot steps in trying to help Liv out.

"Even if it means dumping her career?"

Olivia relays their last conversation together by saying, "Last time I talked to her the case was all she cared about."

The caption orders them to find Paxton and that he'll take care of the rest.

Elliot and Olivia find Alicia at Paxton's apartment under police surveillance and resting on the couch.

"I don't know if you're brave or just stupid," Elliot scours her with his eyes.

Naturally, Alicia gets on the defense side. "You don't catch the bastard by doing nothing. It's better if he comes at me off balance and raging."

"Whose bright idea was that?"

"Not Paxton's. She has nothing to do with this. I had a backup camera in my pocket at the crime scene. And no one was talking me out of airing that segment."

"Where is she now?" Olivia questions. She has known Paxton for a long time and is beginning to worry about her friend. She sets aside her fears and emotions and to regain her composure, as always.

"She wanted a drink and went to an AA meeting instead."

Elliot, who consistently can sense Olivia's emotions, takes over. "Where is this week's meeting?"

"Sonya's car is still here."

"I'll check the ladies room."

Olivia opens the door and her eyes immediately go to the mirror. There's blood and the glass is broken in a spiral. She's seen too many of these to not recognize the shape. Someone's head was bashed against the mirror. As she opens the door further, she hears gasping noises and her eyes hit the floor.

Sprawled out on the floor is Sonya, grasping her neck with both hands. A pool of blood forming on the ground gets Olivia's attention next.

She freezes for an instance and then screams as loudly as she can, "Elliot I need help in here!"

She rushes to Sonya's side. Placing her head on her lap, and her scarf against the wound, she can fill the gushes of blood escaping with every beat of Sonya's heart.

"Sonya, Sonya, Sonya, you hang on there. Hang on. It's ok."

Olivia, trying her best to keep her voice calm, tries to give hope and life to Sonya, but she knows it's too late.

Elliot rushes in, and upon seeing her lying on the floor grabs his walkie-talkie. "Central send units and bus to my location. We have a murder suspect in the area. Bloody clothes. Approach with caution."

Having done this, he rushes to Olivia's side.

"Elliot help me. She can't breathe."

Sonya opens her mouth and is able to say, "It's ok. I got him."

Then the gasping turns to gargling as the blood flows into her lungs.

"Shhh hold on…"

Olivia feels Paxton's head fall and her life flow from her. The blood is still pouring out but the bursts caused by her beating heart have stopped. She's gone.

Olivia's mouth drops open and she notices the blood all over her hands. Her friend's blood. And her friend's body lying there lifeless. Elliot looks at her and catches her as she falls backwards. Her head inches from the ground; he grabs it gently and places her in his arms. He hates this. The pain she feels seeps into him as she shakes and cries. He feels helpless and useless, so he does what he's wanted to do for some time. He leans in and gives her a delicate kiss on the check. Olivia feels all of concern and affection. But they both feel something else. She stops crying and looks up at him. There was love in that kiss. They both know it. In their eyes' is something that they both have never seen before. And at that moment they know that what they have and have been avoiding is real.

Warner walks in and Olivia realizes where she is and what Sonya had said to her before she died.

"She had him. She said she had him. Maybe there's something under her nails?" Olivia gasps, finally beginning to think and function like a cop again.

Warner glances up from investigating her throat.

"Her jugular was cut. She would've been low on oxygen at that point and there is nothing under her nails. I'll check again once I get her on the examining table."

…. "So she bit him. She knew she was going to die so she went for the DNA. That's what I'd do."

Elliot smiles because he knows it's true. Warner gets down with a flashlight and looks in her mouth, as Olivia looks on anxiously.

Warner nods, "There's a hair in her throat. I'll swab her mouth and check her stomach for his blood.


End file.
